Three projects in the West Midlands have received £3m of Government funding to drive forward state-of-the-art carbon neutral technologies.

The projects in Coventry, Rugeley and Sandwell will help position the region as a global leader in the field of low-carbon energy.

Championed by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and Energy Capital, the projects will intelligently link energy supply, storage and use, and design ways to power heating and transport that improve efficiency and reduce costs.

’These three projects show how the West Midlands is becoming an exemplar for innovative new initiatives for carbon reduction,’ said Cllr Ian Courts, leader of Solihull Council and WMCA portfolio holder for environment, energy and HS2.

‘Using our considerable expertise, we are tackling climate change and involving local communities in finding solutions to the incredibly important environmental agenda that is affecting all our lives.’

A Regional Energy System Operator project (RESO) will be set up in Coventry to explore ways of generating and storing low-carbon energy on a city-wide scale. The former Rugeley Power Station will be transformed into an area of low-carbon housing.

The third project could see a new smart energy grid which channels waste heat to homes and businesses set up in Sandwell.